Spring
by LindenMiri
Summary: This is just a collection of cute moments during each season of the year, starting with Spring. My friend Lexi came up with the idea. This is probably just going to be a bunch of fluff. :) The seasons started out in order, but there might be times when they get a little disorganized. I apologize for that. It shouldn't affect it too much. :)
1. Chapter 1: Spring

The spring forced them together. It was Eren's favorite season; he loved the scent of flowers in the air and the sunlight breaking through wispy clouds. He loved the smell of the rain.  
Levi hated it even more than summer. Too hot. The trees were full of flowers and they were always falling in his hair. He hated the clear skies; he yearned for the cold, overcast days to come back.

He was angry when he stepped into the tiny coffee shop, he really was, but all of that washed away the moment he laid eyes on the barista. He was smiling, and he was… _bright_. His tanned skin seemed to hold the sun, and Levi marveled at the tones of his skin. The golds, the browns, the subtle hue of pink on his cheekbones.

And when he met Levi's eyes, he wanted to gasp. Those eyes were quite simply the most striking eyes he'd ever seen. Turquoise and sparkling with a vibrancy that matched his smile. His eyelashes just barely fluttered, long and thick and soft against the color of his skin. The tiny bit of pink in his complexion darkened, and he glanced away from Levi's hard stare. "Welcome, what would you like today?"  
His voice was warm and boyish. Levi cleared his throat anxiously and hastily ordered a coffee, praying to God that he would somehow see this kid again.

When the kid handed him his coffee, his number and name was scribbled on the top of the lid. _Eren. _A mischievous smirk pulled at his lips, and he spent the rest of his thirty minute break making Eren blush and squirm under his knowing gaze.


	2. Chapter 2: Spring part 2

They're both artists. Eren loves watercolor paintings more than anything in the world, and Levi despises working with any kind of paint. He prefers pencil or pen or _something_ that he can control. They look at each other's work frequently, always amazed. Eren's brush marks are scattered and obvious and it works _so well. _The colors he mixes are bright and stunning, and Levi swears he can feel whatever Eren is feeling when he looks at his artwork.  
The first time Eren sees Levi's drawings, he's speechless. He's normally not a fan of realism, but this artwork is bright and alive. The lines are fluid and consistent, varying from blacks to grays to barely existing at all. He loves drawing dancers most of all, but something about Eren's features captivate him.

"Would you ever model for me?" Levi asks one day. They were awkward at first and Eren was a bit shy, but now he sees the obnoxious kid almost every day. And when they can't see each other, Levi _misses_ him. It's scary; he hasn't cared this much in a very long time. He's happier now, sitting and watching the sunset in a park with Eren, than he's ever been before.

"Levi, if you wanted to see me naked you could just-"

"Shut up!" He punches the kid in the shoulder, hard. It hurts like hell, but Eren's too amused to dwell on the pain for long. He's fascinated by the way Levi flushes the tiniest bit, his pale face flooding with pale pink. It looks like his luminescent skin has been stained with flower petals.

They haven't even held hands yet, but Eren wants to kiss him so badly it hurts. "I was just kidding. Of course I can." The mischievous grin on the brunette's face makes Levi want to punch him again. _What exactly is this kid planning?  
_"Is tonight okay? Around six?" Levi leans the tiniest bit closer, a hint of a smirk on his pale lips, which grows when Eren blushes.

"U-um. Sure." He blinks more quickly than usual, eyes flickering to the man's stunning gray eyes, his thin nose, his lips…

Before he knows it, Levi pulls him closer and all Eren can think is _oh my God he's kissing my neck._

His sharp teeth graze Eren's warm skin, earning him a shudder. He trails more lingering kisses down his jawline, pulling back in time to see Eren's lips part softly, his sun kissed cheeks dusted with rose. When those lovely turquoise eyes open and meet his, Levi's breath catches. His eyes have darkened a shade, sparkling with desire. The color of his eyes, his flushed face and his expression combined is so beautiful that Levi can hardly move. He struggles to control himself, leaning so close to Eren that he can see the gold flecks in his eyes.

"I'll see you tonight," he whispers softly, and before he can do anything impulsive, turns to walk away. The frustrated, whiny little sigh that Eren gives him replays in his head all day.

_***_ _Later_

Eren is extremely frustrated. When Levi invited him over, he didn't _actually_ think that he'd be modeling, but here he is sitting in a chair across from Levi in the same position that he was in an hour ago. If he so much as moves his hands, a sharp glare is thrown his way.

And God, Levi is _so handsome_ when he's drawing. He loves the look of concentration on the man's face. The furrowed eyebrows, sharp eyes, the occasional tiny smiles when he's satisfied with his work. Despite being disappointed with their activities, he loves watching him.

At last, Levi sets his pencil down and yawns, stretching a bit in his chair before standing. The smile on his lips is a tiny bit wider. Eren wonders what it would be like to see him grin, to shake that indifference. To make him lose control.

"Do you like it?" He asks.

Gray eyes meet his, lit up in a way that Eren has never seen before. Without breaking the eye contact, he says softly, "I love it."

He doesn't know what to do with that. He's still a kid, only 19 years old, but he's never felt this way about anyone before. He's never watched anyone this way or wanted to be close to anyone in the same way that he wants to be close to Levi. A rush of emotion floods into his heart, and he says affectionately, teasingly, "Do I get a reward?"

Levi doesn't have to say anything; the way they're looking at each other says it all. He strides forward and kisses Eren without a second thought.

It's absolutely perfect. Their bodies seem to melt together, beautifully opposite; Eren is warm and rough and passionate, his lover so demanding and idealistic.

Levi pulls away first, nuzzling Eren's neck and occasionally tilting his head up and assaulting him with kisses that soon become so heated that the teenage boy can't take it anymore. His tiny sighs and murmurs are driving Levi insane, and he backs him against the wall, going straight for the boy's defined collarbones. He kisses them and sucks on them, earning a loud gasp from Eren.

It's just starting to get interesting when Eren's phone rings. They both freeze for a moment, but Levi captures his lips again, more roughly than ever. His hands slide up Eren's shirt, and the whine he gets in response makes his head spin.

The phone rings again, even louder this time, and Levi moans in frustration, tearing himself away from the kid.

"Hurry." He's embarrassed by how raspy his voice is, but tries not to show it. Eren

doesn't seem to notice anything, going straight for the phone with irritation clearly shown in his eyes.

"Hello?" he practically growls. "I don't _want _to go home, Mikasa… that's… that's not

important. No, I haven't been… Oh, alright. Fine. You owe me so much. God, Mikasa, you owe me _so much._"

With that, he shuts the phone, meeting Levi's gaze again. "I've got to go."

There is no verbal response from his lover, only an aggravated raise of the eyebrow. "This better be important, kid."

"I'm not a kid," Eren grumbles, but the pouty tone of his voice combined with the obvious disappointment in his eyes is child-like. In a very cute way. "She's always calling at the wrong times…"

"Hey," Levi says gently. "We have lots of time."

He doesn't say it out loud, but he's positively _yearning_ for this Mikasa girl to call again and change her mind.

Eren kisses him again in response. It's meant to be a goodbye kiss, but it lasts a rather long time.

When they pull away, both are panting. Levi grabs the kid's tie and pulls him in again before he can leave. He's being stupid and acting like a lovesick teenager, but for the first time in his life, he can't help it.

They kiss about ten more times before Levi finally gains some self control and says "I'll see you tomorrow."

The grin he gets in return stays with him forever. In that moment, when Eren's hair is ruffled and his eyes are wide and bright, cheeks stained with red, Levi knows that he's in way over his head. He's falling in love.


	3. Chapter 3: Autumn

Spending his lunch breaks in Eren's coffee shop is one of Levi's favorite things to do. He's one of their best workers, always full of energy and enthusiasm. He smiles at everyone, no matter what expression they wear. He loves that about Eren. Even on his worst days, the kid has a gentle smile for him.

What he doesn't enjoy is the way that everyone dotes on his lover all the time. Some new brat named Jean is always touching him and glancing at him. The manager of the shop, a small blonde named Christa, is always ruffling his hair and that is _Levi's _way of comforting Eren.

They cut down on the touching when Levi finally takes action and kisses him angrily in front of everyone, trailing persuasive kisses down his neck, and Eren quickly tells everyone that he'll see them later before he loses his sanity. He comes back thirty minutes later, all mussed hair and glazed eyes. A dreamy smile tugs at his lips for the rest of the day. Everyone can see the marks on his neck, and they tease him about it for weeks. Eren complains to Levi about it, but the older man knows that he doesn't really mind.

This continues when a new attractive male worker is hired. Eren is drinking their seasonal coffee, something about pumpkin spice. He keeps raving about it and asking Levi if he wants one.

"I'd like a taste," Levi answers, a tiny smirk playing at his lips. With that, he grabs Eren's collar and kisses him fiercely, and by the time they break away, his hair is messy and his cheeks are flushed, sparkling eyes wide with shock. Every person in the room is eyeing his extremely attractive blushing boyfriend, and the glare that they receive is ice cold. After that, the kisses stay private.

(Although everyone in the coffee shop perks up if they so much as hold hands, and it annoys Levi more than anything.)

Despite being extremely allergic to pollen, Eren is outside whenever he gets the chance. He has a fascination with the changing leaves, spending hours working with oil pastels to get the colors right. Many strangers come up to him and ask to buy his paintings, but he always smiles and says that they're not for sale. When Levi asks him why, he simply says, "They're special to me. I can't sell them to just anyone."

He often comes to Levi's apartment shivering, his nose red and face flushed, wearing a military style jacket and an apologetic grin. Today he isn't even wearing a scarf or gloves, and he knows he's in for it.

Levi rushes to make him tea, chastising him the whole time. "You need to at least take allergy medicine before you go. And for God's sake, wear gloves. Your hands are freezing. We just had a_ cold front,_ Eren. I get that you're stubborn, but you need to take better care of your body. Did you eat today?"

Eren fidgets uncomfortably. "I meant to, I… I was just so caught up in painting. I lost track of time."

The sigh that he gets in return is wistful, and it surprises him. Levi takes his hand, gently rubbing it with his thumb. "Set an alarm. I get worried about you."

That last part is whispered, and Levi refuses to meet his eyes. With a knowing smile, Eren pulls the man into his warm chest. "I'm sorry," he murmurs softly.

He can see Levi's blush spreading even further, and is surprised when he turns around and hugs Eren more tightly. "Good. You should be sorry. What do you want for dinner? You're eating extra tonight."

"You're clingy tonight." Eren nuzzles his neck affectionately. "Miss me?"

His lover scoffs, but doesn't pull away. "Don't get too cocky."

The way he says it is teasing and warm. When they sleep together that night, Levi wrapped tightly in his embrace, he feels closer to him than ever.


	4. Chapter 4: Autumn Part 2

Levi knows that something bad is coming as soon as Eren bursts into the apartment.

He's holding a bag in his hand, and it looks way too Halloween themed for his liking. He stops the kid before he can kiss him hello, ignoring the puppy-like disappointment in his eyes. "Oi. What's in the bag?"

Eren runs a hand through his hair, trying to be casual. Levi arches an eyebrow expectantly. "I, um. I thought… I thought it might be cute if you dressed up for Halloween."

The way that he's blushing is beyond sexy, and there's no reason why it should be. It frustrates Levi immensely. "Dress up as _what?"_

"Um. I saw a cat costume," he mumbles.

No. No way. No chance in hell. Not even for him. "And why would I ever do that?"

Eren glances up at him through his lashes, a pleading look in his radiant eyes. "Please?" He breathes, stepping even closer to Levi.

_Oh._ Before he can think straight again, his lover kisses him hard on the mouth, pressing against him tightly. It momentarily stuns Levi; Eren is hardly ever rough like this. He breaks away, lingering a half a centimeter away from Levi's lips for a moment before kissing his neck aggressively. The look in his eyes is filled with raw desire.

"Ahh… okay, okay." He pushes the kid away from him for a second, his head spinning. "Jesus. Hold on a moment."  
Eren doesn't hold on a moment. He'd intended to bribe the man into wearing the costume, but the taste of his lips drove every other thought away.

He's always had a one track mind. Not that it bothers Levi. Especially that night.

"I can't _believe_ you tricked me into doing this," Levi moans as Eren cheerfully paints whiskers on his ashen cheeks. He was always drawn to his lover's smooth pale skin and big gray eyes.

"Shhh. You have to be still or your whiskers will be crooked." He has to bite his lip to contain a huge grin. Levi sitting here with a cat nose and whiskers is far too adorable.

"You're getting too bold," Levi grumbles. "I liked it better when you were scared to even hold my hand."

Eren smirks, leaning closer and murmuring in his ear, "You didn't mind last night."

His arm is nearly broken after that, but he insists that it was worth it. Levi is determined to get revenge. "If you get to dress me up as a cat, I get to do whatever I want with _you._"

He can't argue. The cat costume is even more perfect than he imagined it would be, especially with the way Levi is glaring at him right now.

Twenty minutes later, he's straddling Eren on the couch, growling at him to sit still while he attempts to put eyeliner on the kid.

It takes longer than expected to finish, with his boyfriend butting in every five minutes and assaulting him with kisses. He begins to notice little things as he works. The straight line of Eren's nose, the harsh contrast of his dark eyelashes against his sunkissed skin. The subtle, beautiful curves of his lips. His _collarbones._ Levi swallows hard when his eyes brush over those.

And when he's finally done, Eren is observing him too, with wide, innocent eyes. The color and shape is brought out even more by the eyeliner. He gives Levi a tiny smile, cocking his head slightly, and the man takes a deep breath. He's _stunning_.

"Well?" Eren's smile grows wider. "How is it? Do I look like a girl?"

Instead of answering straight away, he ruffles his hair until brown spikes are sticking out in random directions. He'd never really admit it, but seeing Eren's tousled hair in the morning is one of his favorite looks on the kid. "It's…" He lets out an annoyed sigh, mumbling under his breath, "It's kind of cute."

"Just kind of cute?" He kisses Levi's jaw. "Yours is really _really_ cute."

Levi scowls, blushing the tiniest bit. "Maybe a little more than kind of cute."

With that Eren kisses him, more gently than the other times. When they pull away, he

has a genuine smile on his face, instead of a sarcastic or cocky one. "Thank you, Levi."

"For what?" He smiles teasingly. "You bribed me, you know. Shamelessly, I might add."

Eren has the decency to blush, finally seeming a bit chagrined by his boldness. "I didn't really plan on going that far, I just didn't know how else to ask you…"

"It's okay," Levi reassures him, ruffling his hair gently. "Want to know a secret?"

Like the puppy that he is, he nods eagerly. Levi pulls him in by the collar, whispering in his ear, "I loved it. And you're beyond sexy in that eyeliner."

"Really?" Eren's eyes widen, and he positively _beams_ at the man in front of him. "Do _you_ want to know a secret?"

And even though his boyfriend obviously wears his heart on his sleeve, he nods anyways, and finds himself genuinely curious. "I'm going to ruin your makeup by kissing you," he whispers, mocking a serious tone.

"You are the biggest tease I have ever-"

Eren breaks him off with a kiss, though Levi can feel him smiling against his lips. Maybe he'll be stronger tomorrow, and not let this kid get to him so much. But it's highly, highly doubtful.


	5. Chapter 5: Winter

The start of winter excites both of them. The air is cold and the wind is harsh, and they love it. It comforts Eren to drink hot coffee in the freezing mornings, to put on a warm coat before he leaves the house. Levi certainly seems to like them. He actually _blushes _the first time he sees Eren in skinny jeans, boots, and a long coat.

"I think I like the winter even more now," he'd murmured to Eren as he pulled him into a heated kiss.

And God, Eren loves waking up to Levi's beautiful face. He loves the body beside him. Not nearly as much as the person himself, but there's something about exploring Levi with his lips that enraptures him, the way Levi loves making his young lover blush, loves studying the graceful slant of his shoulders and the delicacy of his collarbones.

"_Beautiful," _ Levi murmurs sometimes, as his pencil whispers the soft edges of Eren's chest and the harsh lines of his hipbones. He's pathetic; he can never say it out loud, really, and he doesn't even say it properly. He's thought it a million times. _You're beautiful. I love you so much._ But it never escapes his mind. Instead he ends up saying something harsh or not saying anything at all.

But Eren never seems to mind. He simply nuzzles Levi's shoulder or kisses his neck and lingers there, and it feels like home.

Everything is wonderful until one stupid morning. When Levi gets up, Eren is staring out the window excitedly. "Levi! It's snowing!"

That's when he decides that winter needs to stop it, because there's nothing he hates more than snow. And so, the first word that falls out of his lips is a flat, disappointed, "Disgusting."

Levi works from home that week. And every time Eren persuades him to go outside, he clings to him. It's the first time he's ever been this child-like and open, although he's constantly muttering swear words under his breath. Eren not so secretly enjoys it. His lover frequently catches him smiling affectionately down at him. If there's one thing he likes about snow, it's the way that it flutters down onto Eren's hair and eyelashes. He looks like an angel.

By the time they stumble into their apartment, their faces flushed and their hair a mess, they're laughing. Eren usually teases Levi relentlessly with snowball fights, and even though he almost dies doing it, it's worth it to see the adorable little scowl on his face.

Eren pulls Levi into him, kissing him fervently, and the man kisses him back even harder. And when they break away, just centimeters apart, Levi murmurs, "I_ love_ you."  
It comes out without a second thought, without a flicker of doubt, and Eren looks _so _unbelievably happy. Levi's heart stutters as he blushes, his eyes glistening with tears. His full lips are on Levi's immediately, and in the moments when they pull away for air, Eren whispers "I love you so much."

They're simultaneously aggressive and sweet that night, and Eren _loves _it. When he wakes up in the morning, Levi isn't beside him, but he can hear the faint sounds of a pencil scratching on paper. By the time he's done brushing his teeth and fixing his ridiculous bedhead, Levi has finished a beautiful sketch of his sleeping face. (He'd never admit it, but when he catches Eren staring at it later, he blushes, hard.)

When their gazes meet, Eren smiles softly. "Good morning."  
The older man looks away immediately, anxiously running a hand through his hair. He tries to flip the paper over while remaining subtle. It's an extremely rare gesture, and it makes the boy beside him uneasy. "I want to give you something," he says.

When Eren's eyes widen, he smirks. "Don't get too excited, I'm not proposing."

The kid has the nerve to scoff, although he's flushing. He's tried to brush through his bedhead, but a few pieces of hair are sticking up. It's annoyingly cute. "I wasn't thinking about that."

"Oh really?" He murmurs, leaning closer to Eren. "Then what are you blushing for?"

Eren bites his lip, trying to think of a response, and Levi can't help but kiss him quickly before taking the small box out of his pocket.

Those huge turquoise eyes are staring at him warily, trying to figure him out. He ruffles the kid's hair. "Don't look so stressed. It's just a necklace. I'm not going anywhere."

At those last four words, he visibly relaxes, a small hint of a smile tugging softly at his lips. He takes Levi's hand and squeezes it, letting him know that he's ready for whatever this is. A small, shaky breath, and then the words, "This is my mom's necklace."

The whole world seems to stop, and Levi's gentle words replay in his head over and over. _ I want to give you something. _He's told him his story before, only once, because Levi doesn't like staying in the past. His parents died when he was fifteen in a horrible car crash. The only part of them that remained was a locket. He's seen it once before, on a particularly cold day in October. The snow fell for the first time that year, and Levi stood by the window for hours, locket in hand, watching it absently.

"I've hated snow for a while. It's taken so much love out of my life. But you made me love it again." A single tear ran down his alabaster skin, that smile widening the tiniest bit. The bitterness melts away, softens into something beautiful. Love. "You brought happiness to my life again."

"Levi," Eren whispers, stepping closer to him. His eyes are misty with tears. "You don't have to give this to me."

"It's my most important possession." Levi leans his forehead against Eren's. "You're the most important person in my life. You changed me. I love you. I want you to have it."

Their lips meet, and tears fall from the younger man's eyes. Levi pulls away, breaking the moment of seriousness and smirking. He whispers in his ear teasingly, "So? Did I disappoint?"

Instead of scowling or even pouting, Eren shakes his head earnestly. "I could never ask for any more, Levi, thank you very much, I-"

He cuts him off with a short, sweet kiss. "I'm kidding. Don't thank me. I'm the one thanking _you, _Eren."

"Don't be bossy," Eren tries to joke, but his voice is full of love and admiration, and he has the sweetest look in his eyes.

Levi's eyes start to burn as he takes in the kid in front of him. From the moment they met, he's simply glowed with energy, showering his life with emotion for the first time in years. He's held Levi's hand when he needed it the most, made him laugh in the most stressful times, kissed him when he felt empty.

Eren pulls him into his chest like he always does, right when Levi needs it. He slips the locket into the kid's hand, and Eren pulls back for a moment. His eyes are blazing with determination. Something about the look is oddly familiar and his heart seems to beat faster. "I'll never lose this. I'll take care of it. And I'll take care of you. I promise."

Before Levi can respond, Eren tugs him back in, holding him even more tightly than before, and the man knows in that moment just how much he _needs _him.


	6. Chapter 6: Christmas

Levi has an unwilling appreciation for Christmas. It's annoying when people get too excitable, but he can't help but like the way that the air is filled with the scent of pine trees and coffee. More than the light snow, he enjoys the way that Eren holds his hand the entire time they're outside. No one has ever felt the need to protect him, or they've been to scared to even try, but Eren has never flinched away in his times of need.

And of course, Christmas is Eren's favorite holiday. He's dragged Levi to countless stores, buying ornaments and too many boxes of candy canes(the kid has a burning love for peppermint.)

There's just one problem; Christmas means gift giving, and he has absolutely no idea what to buy Eren. He doesn't like the concept of giving gifts on a set date; he just wants to give them whenever it feels the most honest.

He's spent years alone on the holiday, even though it is, unfortunately, his birthday. And no matter how many times he'd tried to convince himself that being alone and watching the world was okay, he felt empty. He always loves Eren's presence in his life, but it's more apparent around this time of year.

"You don't have to get me anything," Levi says suddenly. They've been painting and drawing for hours, sitting side by side in the living room, and the sudden sound echoes in Eren's ears.

He cocks his head in that puppy-like way. "What do you mean?"

"For Christmas." Levi stares straight ahead, refusing to meet his gaze. "I don't really want anything. You being here is enough."

Eren leans closer to him, pulling their faces together and forcing him to make eye contact. "I'm getting you something whether you like it or not." His tone is teasing, but the sparkle in his eyes fades into something more gentle and serious. "You gave me your most precious possession. Let me repay you."

"You've already given me more than enough," he mumbles, trying not to blush. The words sound so ridiculous when he says them.

"I haven't given you nearly enough." Eren nuzzles his shoulder playfully before kissing his neck. He seems to get distracted there, kissing all down his neck until he reaches his defined collarbones.

"Eren." It's hard to concentrate. "H-Hey, what are you- don't you have work to do?"

He finally looks up, only to smile softly and say, "Work isn't important."

This time Levi initiates the kiss, grumbling about how insatiable Eren is, because he's hopelessly in love. They forget about everything else for a while.

On Christmas morning, Eren wakes up to find Levi in his arms. It's a rare occurrence; usually he wakes up earlier and starts drawing or cleaning the house or making breakfast. Eren takes in his lovely face, his dark hair contrasting against the pale, luminous skin. In his sleep, Levi's eyebrows stop furrowing. It's a relaxed, beautiful side of him that he hardly ever gets to see. His soft pink lips are open slightly, and it's very, very tempting, but Eren lets him rest.

He kisses the man's forehead as gently as he can, but his boyfriend stirs. With a small yawn, he snuggles into Eren's warm chest more. "Merry Christmas."

His voice is thick with sleep and unbearably cute, and Eren can't help but kiss his jaw softly. It's a sensitive spot on Levi; his eyes flash open and narrow. "_Already?_ Control your hormones, I just woke up."

He mutters a few more insulting things, all while nuzzling Eren affectionately. After a few minutes, he can't help but kiss the warm, tan chest in front of him. He doesn't even mind the smug smirk on his lover's face that he just barely catches before he sucks on his collarbones.

"I got you a present," Eren whispers in his ear, kissing his neck playfully, his teeth grazing Levi's sensitive skin. He shivers the tiniest bit, but it's still seen. "Well. Not exactly a present. You'll see what I mean."

When he tries to get out of bed, Levi frowns and pulls him back, not very gently. "Hey. Get back in here, I wasn't done."

They cuddle and mess around for a while longer, until Eren finally tears himself away from the bed, excited about his present. Levi is actually _clingy_ today, holding his hand even when they're brushing their teeth. He's happy about that; Mikasa and Armin are coming over later, and he wants to spend as much time with Levi as he can get.

Eren opens his gift first. It's a huge set of art supplies; new watercolors, oils, brushes, canvases, and paper. It's beautiful. He kisses the man fervently, thanking him over and over, and for the first time ever, he laughs. It's the most beautiful sound Eren has ever heard in his entire life, and he's suddenly even more certain about the present he's about to give.

"So it's a present, but it's not a present?" Levi raises an eyebrow, his lips still curved into a smile. He's breathtaking.

Eren bites his lip, hoping that he won't stumble over his words or mess this up in any way. He takes the tiny slip of paper out of his pocket and hands it to his lover.

Levi cocks his head as he reads it, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. _One promise._ One promise? What does that mean?

"There's something special that I want to give you, but... I want to give it at the right moment. Not because I'm supposed to do something romantic because it's Christmas, but because I want to. I want to give it to you in the most honest moment, when I feel the strongest." He runs a hand through his hair nervously.

_Something special._ Does that mean what he thinks it does? Levi flushes against his will, his eyes widening. "Eren, are you going to... ?"

He can't bring himself to say the word out loud, but Eren's face flushes intensely and it brings out the green in his eyes. "I'm not saying anything else. It could be what you're thinking, it could not be. It's just something special. I promise."

He wants, no _needs_ it to be a ring. He loves Eren more than anything in the world. He's changed Levi's lonely life into something beautiful, and although he's always been able to survive alone, he doesn't _want_ to anymore. If the kid doesn't propose soon, he will.

"I have another present for you," Levi murmurs, pulling Eren's face to his. The kid looks so flustered, and it's both arousing and cute.

"What is it?" Eren breathes, his eyelashes fluttering as he leans in closer.

"Me." He kisses him. It's a slow, sweet kiss that's full of promise. He can't always say the words out loud, but today he has to. It feels right. As they pull away, Levi whispers, "I love you."

The smile on Eren's face takes his breath away. "That was my favorite present."

And then he practically attacks Levi with kisses. When Armin and Mikasa show up later, the blonde tries his best not to stare at the red marks all over Eren's neck, or the satisfied smirk on Levi's face.


	7. Chapter 7: Valentine's Day

Valentine's day has never been Levi's favorite. It's not that he hates romantic things, it's how insincere the holiday is. Here, have some roses that may or may not be from the heart. But Eren's eyes are sparkling when he mentions it, and all of the cynicism fades away. Maybe it isn't forced. Maybe it's a chance to show love, even if it isn't his typical style. Maybe it means more to Eren than he could ever know.

Eren has to work late that day, so he has all day to prepare. The house is spotless, vases of roses on each table, and he's spent all of his free time today perfecting a painting. It's the first time he's ever used ink and watercolor together, but he's hoping that Eren will like it.

It's a huge shock when his lover walks through the door in a _maid outfit. Wearing another man's jacket._

He sighs heavily, slinging the jacket off of his shoulders before meeting Levi's eyes. And he looks extremely pissed. "Levi, I-"

"Whose jacket is that?" He's using a very even tone, and it scares the hell out of Eren. He cocks his head slightly as he makes his way to him. "Why are you dressed like that?"

There's a tiny bit of pain in his voice. Eren starts to explain as quickly as he can."We had to cross dress, for Valentine's Day. Our manager thought it would be fun. Someone spilled coffee on my clothes, so I had to wear this home and um… It was really cold. Jean lent me his jacket. It doesn't mean anything."

Levi wants to cry in frustration, even though he's relieved that no cheating was involved. Doesn't this kid know that he's ready to marry him? "Did anyone hit on you?"

"Um." Eren runs a hand through his hair. Is he wearing eyeliner? "It wasn't anything serious, I-"

"Who did your makeup?"

"Christa!" He seems relieved to finally give the right answer. He fidgets, staring at the floor uncomfortably while Levi gazes at him. He mumbles, "I thought you might… Like it."

He tugs the kid's hair gently, until they make eye contact. His eyes are glistening with tears, and it shocks Levi. Eren pulls the man into his chest, clinging to him tightly. "I just wanted to be with you tonight. I did get hit on, a lot, and it made me uncomfortable and I was really lonely because everyone else in the cafe had a date with them."

To hear his lover this needy makes his heart ache. Levi leans back to look Eren in the eye, stroking his face gingerly. "I missed you tonight more than ever. And I _love_ it, Eren. I was just worried. Wouldn't you be worried if I came in wearing another man's jacket?"

He freezes for a second, imagining it. Brown eyebrows furrow over narrowing green eyes, and Levi knows that his point hit home. "I don't like it. At all."

It kind of backfires, because his eyes glisten with more tears, and then he buries his face in the crook of the man's neck and breathes him in. There's something comforting about his familiar smell, and the feeling of being pressed together like this after a long day. He has someone to hold onto when he feels like crying, and that means more than he could ever try to express. It almost makes him want to cry more.

But he remembers that it's Valentine's Day and Levi has clearly worked on the apartment, and he's ignored that because of his emotions. His eyes scan the room, and all of the candles and roses. "It looks beautiful in here."

He pulls away, but leans his forehead against Levi's, whose gentle smile makes him feel warmer than he has all day. "You're clingy today."

"It _is _Valentine's Day," Eren protests, but they're both smiling. "Do you want to sit on the balcony?"

"Yes, but…" He blushes faintly. "I painted you something."

He avoids the wide eyed look of astonishment. Is this too much? He wonders if it says too much. The simple fact is that Levi doesn't paint. He wouldn't for his teachers, but he would for this kid that he loves more than anything. He bites his lip. "You've seen it before. It's that sketch of your face. But I redrew it and I made your eyes open this time, just a little bit, because the color is so beautiful."

Eren isn't sure if he wants to cuddle Levi or press him against the wall and kiss him senseless. This man is hardly ever nervous, let alone nervous enough to _ramble,_ and it's so cute that he can hardly stand it. "Levi, I'm going to love it no matter what."

"Okay." He fidgets a little bit more, and then slides the painting off of the counter and hands it to Eren.

He can't help but gasp as he lays his eyes on it for the first time. His eyes are painted in beautiful detail, down to the golden flecks, but his lips and hair and some of the background… It's painted like the night sky. Swirls of black, rich purples, and dark blues, sparkling with flecks of gold and white. His lips are more pastel than the rest of the painting. Levi chose a pastel blue color, and it shouldn't have worked with the color scheme, but it _did,_ flawlessly, and he can only shake his head as he stares at this work of art.  
"What is it?" Levi takes his free hand, gazing up at him with pained curiosity. "What do you-"

He's cut off by a searing kiss, and the painting is back on counter. Their bodies melt together as Eren kisses him like it's his last day on Earth. By the time they break away, they're both gasping, and Levi eyes his boyfriend's collarbones with a dangerous glint in his eyes. As his gaze begins to trail down the tight, short dress, he knows he only has seconds to talk.

"Thank you," he whispers, touching Levi's chest. The dark lust fades from his gaze and softens into something more gentle. "I know that you don't like this holiday, but you went out of your way to make this special for me. This is the most beautiful artwork I've ever seen."

The sweetest smile is on his lover's face right now, and that's when Eren knows. Right now is the right moment. "There's something that I've wanted to say to you for a while."

And he gets on one knee, still wearing that dress and those stockings and that eyeliner, and he doesn't care one bit. He unzips his skirt pocket and takes out the ring that he's been carrying, waiting until the perfect moment arrived. As he meets Levi's eyes, he can't help but smile. It's like happiness has taken over every crevice of his body. "Will you marry me?"

Strong hands pull him up, and he's being kissed like never before, and Levi is smiling so widely that he has to break away. Eren teases, "Does that count as a yes?"

"What do you think?" Another day it would have been sarcastic in that seductive way of his, but neither of them can contain this joy.

Levi kisses him before he can respond, pressing him against the wall. He fingers the stockings and garter belt as he bites Eren's bottom lip, and is rewarded with a soft whine.

He takes in the flushed face, the green eyes clouded with desire, and feels something deep in his chest, something more painful than happiness and more hopeful than desire. It takes over his whole body, this strange kind of love.

As he presses his lips to Eren's once more, he knows that this is the real beginning. This is where he's been lead his whole life, into this warm pair of arms. There isn't a single flicker of doubt in his entire body.

_

Author's note: I am SO sorry that this took so long. I was trying really hard to find something to balance cliche and heartfelt for this proposal. I'm probably going to end up editing it at some point, because I feel like there are things that I can improve on, but I hope you like it so far! :)


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